It wasn't really even customized. If memory
serves, these machines can
run AIX5L as it ships.
Actually I think they had a few oddities that did not make them 100%
RS6000 compatible, I seem to remember that some models (if not all of the
Apple AIX servers) used ADB keyboards, and had apple talk ports (do not
quote me on this). I think that they are only supported from AIX 4.1.x to
4.2.x. I might be wrong.....
But AIX5L (and probably 4.1.1+) ships with ADB and AppleTalk drivers
(adapted from MkLinux, I believe). Also, AIX5L has a two-stage bootloader
capable of bootstrapping from Mac ROMs.
All of the ANSes have ADB keyboard and mouse, and regular Mac mini-DIN serial
ports.
The Apple AIX CD is specific to the ANS and will not boot on another platform,
nor will a generic AIX work on the ANS. In fact, I have corrupted NVRAM and
OpenFirmware simply by trying to apply the Y2K patches for 4.1.4.x. Apple AIX
is *not* the same as the standard AIX, though fortunately they are 99.99999%
binary compatible (drivers may have some issues).
I have never played with AIX5L, but because of the uniqueness of the ANS I'm
quite certain it will not boot AIX5 without modifications. I certainly
wouldn't risk it on my server, especially since I have the stock OS patched
the way I like it.
--
----------------------------- personal page:
http://www.armory.com/~spectre/ --
Cameron Kaiser, Point Loma Nazarene University * ckaiser(a)stockholm.ptloma.edu
-- Why did the chicken cross the Moebius strip? To get to the other ... uh ...
